Securing and latching mechanism for automobile hood lids



, J. H. MENDENHALL SECURING AD LATCHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILE HOOD LIDS Filed June 175- 1924 KJR hereinafter described.

Planea ou. 192s. l

.miras H. MENDENrraLnor No'rrmsnm, rEivnsYLvANm `menu ams LATCBING nncnmsn'roa Auroironmn noon uns.

l Appliteatiipn'med .Tune 18,1924. Serial-TF0. 719,851.`

Be itknown that .I, Anne H. Marmala- .HALL, a citizen of the United "States, residing at Nottingham, in the county of Chester and `State of Pennsylvania, have invented vcertain new andnseful Ixiiprovements in av lSecuring and Latchinfg .e mobile Hood Lids, of which, the 'following is a specification. Y 'This invention relates to improvements in means for fastening andsecuring the closure parts of hoods to automobile frames.

The primary object of thisinvention is the provision oflatching and securing means for maintaining lthe .closure parts .of hoods in a stable and non-vibratory relation with respect to the chassis -of the automobile upon which the hood is provided.;

A further object of this invention is the provision of novel means, for resiliently urging the automobile closure against the frame.. A further object ofxlthis invention is the provision ofnovel releasing means for a hood latching construction of the character Other objectsand advantages of this .invention will vbej"a'}` parentdui-.ing the course of the 'followinggdetaileddescription In .the accompan' ing drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a referred embodiment of -this'invention'zigure 1 isa fragmentary view of the vinside portion of a hood closure part showing l the relation of the improved hood securing mobile frame andthe hood closure part.

and latching details with respectto the auto- *Figures 2 and 3 are cross sectional views taken on theirrespective lines in Figure 1 of the drawings.

, Figure 4 is a cross sectional view' taken substantially on the 'line 4-4 of Figure 3,l

showing the operating mechanism of th '.hood latching structure, and l l Figure 5 is a cross sectional yiew taken substantially on the line`5--5 of'Figure 1.

In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout `the several views, the letter A may'desi nate the frame of an automotive vehicle o whichl the hood closure B'- is a part; the vlatter `being secured and latched tothe frame A by the means C.

The securing and latching means G inl cludes racks 15 and 16 which are supported chanism for Autowithin the hood structure upon the horizontal ,'an e 17 of they automobile frame A. The rac or keeper structures 15 and 16 are analogous instructure, each of the same including afoot or hase portion 17a which is bolted as at 18 to theange '17; They 60 furthermore include Van opstanding substan tially channel shaped keeper portion 20, which includes lthe rack wall 21 with the channel anges 22 .and 23 extending outwardly therefrom 'to provide a way? or 65- groove 24 adapted to receive details of the releasingconstruction ,to be subsequently described. At their upper ends the anges 22 and 23 are arcuated laterally, providing an entrance way 26 through which the keeper 70 rollers 27 may rotatably enter the groove 24 as will be subsequently described. The rack wall 21 is vertically provided with a series of indentations 29, in which a bolt structure engages as will'be subsequently described. 75 The frame keeper members 15 land 16 are secured to the frame- 17 at opposite ends of the hood closure B, with the groove 24 thereof in facing relation. Adjacent each of the keeper members 15 8 and 16 an arm30 is pivotally supported by a bracket 31 secured upon the inside surface of the hood B;` this arm 30 at its free end rotatably supporting a roller 33 laterally thereof, as upon a hollow bolt34 which pro 85 the arm 30, and a washer 38 is preferably 90 interposed between the roller 33l and the arm 30 to permit the anti-friction movement of the roller. In so faras the operation o-f `the rollers 33 in the way24 of the keeper .structures 15 05 and 16 are concerned, it is believed that i-t is obvious that upon the closingl movement of 'thehood B, the rollers 33 will enter the entrance way 26 of the way 24 and be moved downwardly in said Ways bet-Ween the channel fianges 22 and 23, drawing the arms 3() outwardly from the brackets 31.

As lthe free ends of these arms 30 are held by tension springs 40, which tension are also connected with the brackets 31, it 103 l sure B incident to riding in the way 24, that the springs 40 will be tensioned and will thus have a tendency to draw the hood B tightly against the frame A to prevent any outward vibratory movement thereof. I

There is also a latching feature provided in connection with the structure C, which is cooperably disposed with respect to the securing means provided by the details above described: This la-tching feature includes bolts 50, with reduced shanks 51 which slidably exten-d through the passageways 35 of the rollersupporting bolts-34.. The -latching bolts 50 include bifuroated barrel p0r- .tions 53, pivotally receiving therebetween ends of connecting links 54 and 55.

At the lower portion of the hood B, in

` teriorly of the same, andnsubstantiallycenthereto so that upon rockin i 35 of the roller bolts 34 for cooperation with the teeth 29 upon the rack portions of the keepers`15 and 16.

It is preferred to provide a single operating member for thelatching portions of the invention, and this includes a pin 70 slidably supported bythe bracket 59 and inriding thereagainst.

cluding a headed linger engaging portion 71 exteriorly of the hood B, and an interior detachable cam member 73 which includes the tapered surfaces 74 and 75 hav' the free ends of the longer legs 76 and 7 respectively of the bell crank levers and 61 A single' expansion spring 79 is provided, engaging projections l 80 formed on the bellcrank levers 60 and 61 adjacent the pivotal mounting of said bell crank levers, so that con-traction of said spring will normally ur e the' free ends of 'the longer legs 76 and 7 against the cam plate 73. A substantial] U-shaped spring .80 which is secured by t e bracket 56 in a set relation, has the resilient fingers 81 thereof normally operating'against opposite sides of the cam' plate 73 to maintain .the

same in a definite relation so that the ends of the bell crank legs 76 and" 77 may ride against Ithe cam tapered surfaces 74 and 75.

It is to be noted that the free ends of the bolt sh'anks 51 are tapered, for cooperation in the V-shaped tooth depressions 29 in. the rack walls 21, so that upon closing of the hood part B each bolt shankl will ride relation the bolt lShanks 51 will engage theA Y rack walls 21 and ride downwardly over the keeper recesses 29, entering the same and preventing any upward attempted movement of the closure portions B. -It can be readily understood that the hood closure parts B may thus. be firmly closed in a downward relationand prevented from any upward vibratory movement by means of the bolt Shanks 51 engaging at 'the vends of the hood in the rack walls 21. y

, When -it is desired to open. the hood closure part B it is merely necessary for the operator to press inwardlyl upon the button head 71 and the pin 70 will be moved inwardly so that-the cam plate 73 engaging the bell crank levers 60 and 61 will move the latter to extend the tension spring 79, and notwithstanding the force imposed by the latter the links v54 and 55 will be drawn t0- Ward the operating mechanism for retracting the bolt shanks 51 vfrom the rack recesses 29, and the hood may be readily lifted. It is to be noted that the operatinghead 71 is placedconveniently right above the lifting handle 85 of the hook B, as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. l

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that a novel ty e of latching or securing structure for til hoods of automotive vehicles has been provided which will maintain the hood lids firmly closed in a non-vibratory position` so that they cannot become accidentally disconnected.

Various changes inthe shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and -described, without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: `1. The combination with an automobile frame and a closure part of a hood, an elongated cam shaped track fixe'dly supported by the frame, and a resiliently supported member carried by the hood adapted to engage the track as the closure part of the hood is along to ur e the closure part snugly against said rame. p

2. In a latching device for automobile hoods the combination with an automobile frame and a closure'as a part of the hood, an elongated track carried by the frame, an arm movablyA carried by the closure, means on said arm adapted to enter the track and ride therealong'as .the closure is moving to los 120' moving to closed position and ride there shut position, andV a spring-normally urgl' ing the arm so that the means will enga firmly a ainst said track .and resilient y urge the ood closure against said frame in a' non-vibratory-position.

3. In alatching device for automobile hoods the combination. with an automobile .frame and a closure part vof the hood, anV

and means carr1ed at an end of said larml adapted to enter the trackway as the hood closure is moved to a set position, said trackway being of such formation as to move the arm away from the hood as -the closure is moving to a set position whereby to tension said spring for resiliently urging the hood closure against said frame. M

4. In a securing structure for the hoods of automobiles the combination with a frame and a closure part of a hood, a pair of tracks supported by said frame at the ends of said hood, arms movably supported. at the ends of said hood, springs urging the arms toward said closure, and means supported by said arms at their free ends adapted to engage the tracks whereby to draw the closure against said frame as the hood closure is moved to a set position and to actuate said springs in so doing.

5. The combination'with an automobile' support and a closure part of a hood, a resiliently supported member carried by the hood,- and a` cam shaped track connected with the support for receiving the resiliently supported member of the hood thereagainst, said track having a portion against which the supporting member rides sloping away from the hood whereby to draw the hood yagainst the support as the hood is moved to closed osition.

' 6.4 T e combination with an-automobile frame and a closure part of a hood, a cam shaped track fixed with the-frame, a tooth carried b the track, an arm'movably connected wlth the closure part of the hood, means resilientl urging said movable arm toward the hoo said arm being associated with the track for riding therein as the closure part of the hood is moved to a` closed position for urging the closurepart of the hood snu Iy against said frame, a bolt movably carrled by said arm for locking cooperation with the tooth of said track, and means for controlling the operating relation of said bolt with respect to its tooth. v

7. In combination with an automobile frame and hood construction including a movable closure, a track secured to the frame, a keeper embodiedin saidv track, resiliently supported means on the movable closure of the hood for engaging the track to urge the hood against the frame as the hood is closed,vand a locking bolt movably carried -by' said resiliently supported means for' cooperation with the keeper Aof said track.l p

: 8. In combination with an automobile frame and. hood, construction including' a movable closurega keeper carriedby the frame, a locking bolt movably carried by the closure, an operating member on said closure, a link connected with said bolt, a bell crank lever pivotally carried intermediate its ends upon said hood and connected at one end with said link, and springmeans engaging said bell crank adjacent its pivot'mounting 'to normally urge the bolt into enga-gement with its keeper.

9. In combination with an automobile closure part and a frame, a pair of keepers carried by the frame, `a bracket carried within the hood, a pair of bell crank levers carried by said bracket, bolts for each of said keepers, means connectingl said bolts with said bell crank levers, a sprin both of said bell crank levers ad]acent t eir pivotal mounting upon said bracket whereby to normally urge the bolts into4 engagement with their respective keepers, and operating means for moving said bell .crank levers to withdraw said bolts from said k'ee rs whereby the hoodclosure may be raise 10. InI a 'hood latchin structure of the class described the com ination with the movable lid part ofv a hood, a U-shaped bracket carried within said hood includln le portions extending inwardl of the hoof?, be 1 crank levers pivotally carrlcd on the leg portions of said'bracket, a spring under tension connected at its ends to said bell crank levers ad'acent their pivotal mounting on said hoo bracket, a cam shaped operating member with l which the spring normally enga ing v maintains the bell crank levers in engagement', and a thumb piece for said operating member by which lthe latter may be moved to move said bell crank levers against 'the i tension of the spring. y

11. In a hood securin and latching ture of the class descrie with a frame and a movable closure lid,.a track member includin a tooth carried .by said frame, an arm res1 iently supported by said hood lid within the same, and having strucal passagewa therein, means carried4 by the arm adapte to engage the ltrack member whereby to force the lid against said frame when the lid is moved to a closed position, a .bolt reciprocably carried in the passageway of said arm adapted for cooperation against said tooth, and operating means for reciprocating said bolt to move it into or out of locking en a ement with said tooth.

' J S H. MENDENHALL.

d the combination 

